One of the Co-accused in the torture and kidnap trial at Chester Crown Court alleges Antonio Brookes gloated ‘that is how you knock someone out’ after assaulting victim Kevin Massey at his Wistaston home in a violent drug-fuelled attack.

Defendant Matthew Clarke told Chester Crown Court that he felt sorry for the victim. Clarke was later threatened with a knife when he tried to leave after the mood of the party turned sour.

Mr Clarke claims he was ordered to be a look-out whilst the alleged torture of Kevin took place in the downstairs living room at Brook House Farm.

He said, he heard the sound of loud ‘smacks’ and ‘remembers’ Lloyd Turner and Brookes screaming at Kevin, demanding money.

Brookes, 22, Mr Clarke, 29 and Turner, 51 – all from the Crewe area – are accused of carrying out the sustained assault and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The three men are charged with GBH with intent, perverting the course of justice and false imprisonment. In addition, Brookes and Turner are charged with kidnapping and robbery.

Last week, the court heard that, Patrick Joseph O’Connor, 39, has already admitted to his involvement in the incident and pleaded guilty to GBH with intent and kidnapping.

In a police interview recorded on September 4, Clarke is said to have wanted to tell the police everything, explaining ‘I am here to help you because there’s no way out for me’.

He said: “I had never met Kevin before, but someone came up to us outside the Tonic Lounge and said Kevin is having an after-party.

“Kevin and Brookes said they had some girls coming but I didn’t know they were escorts, I assumed it was just some friends.

“I kept noticing Brookes and O’Connor walking off into the dining room, after the third time, they came out and started to attack Kevin.

“It was O’Connor who grabbed him first and took him into the laundry room demanding money and calling him a grass.

“I could see O’Connor and Turner getting hold of Kevin by his T-shirt, Brookes ran into the room and slapped Kevin round the face.

“O’Connor shouted ‘do you know who we are’ and ‘do you know what is going to happen to you?’ Kevin was shaking like a leaf and he kept saying that he hadn’t got any money.”

Clarke told the court that Kevin Massey was dragged into the hallway and had his iPhone, bank card and cash from his wallet stolen.

At this point, Clarke claimed that there was a knock at the door and four escort girls arrived, but after the group was unable to arrange payment Kevin Massey was again attacked for refusing to foot the bill.

Clarke said: “The girls were asking for payment and O’Connor said to Kevin ‘you’d better pay for these, you ordered them’ but Kevin said he thought they were going halves.”

“I understand Brookes had gone to the cash point but when he came back, O’Connor said to him ‘did you see it?’ and Brookes said he saw £33,000 in his account.

“At this point I decided it was time to leave, so went with Barratt and Stephen Taker to his nans house and arrived at about 8am.”

Sion Ap Mihangel, prosecuting, said a decision was made to kidnap Kevin and move him to Brook House Farm, Maw Lane using the black Hyundai owned by O’Connor.

Clarke had been lodging with Turner at Brook House Farm, Maw Lane for six nights after leaving his home address following a bust up with his partner. Clarke says he arrived at the farm about 9am, August 30 and heard Turner shouting to open the front door before dragging Mr Massey into the living room.

He said: “I had left my scooter at the farm, so decided to go to the farm to collect my belongings, I didn’t want to stay there anymore after seeing what Turner had been doing to Kevin. I walked to the farm across the back fields and arrived at 9am. I let myself in and started putting my clothes into bags. I heard Turner hammering on the kitchen door at the back of the house shouting ‘Matty, Matty’. I thought he was on his own so I opened the door, but as I opened the door he started back-tracking and ran to the gate to open it for O’Connor’s car.

“I was told to keep a look-out in my upstairs bedroom, and when I tried leaving through the kitchen door, O’Connor kept waving a knife in my face and said no-one is going anywhere for days. They told me if I grassed on them they would kill me, of course I thought the threats were going to be carried out.”

Clarke told the court that he saw his opportunity to leave and told the other defendants he wanted to go and buy some cigarettes after the defendants were constantly pestering him for another ‘fag’.”

33-year-old Steven Taker, Wheelman Road, Crewe, Robert Higson and Patrick Barratt have been acquitted of all charges and released on bail. The trial continues